Rethinking participation: design studios for health as a scalable co-design framework for health equity

The Design Studios for Health (DSH) framework is a participatory, partnership-driven model designed to foster equitable collaboration between community members and researchers to address diverse health priorities. This study evaluates outcomes from 11 DSH sessions conducted over 2 years with historically underserved communities, focusing on key indicators of engagement: collaboration, facilitator performance, participant willingness to support each other, group cohesion, and trust. Grounded in design thinking and community-based participatory research (CBPR), the DSH model uses an iterative structure of 2-3 sessions per health topic to support sustained, meaningful engagement. DSH fosters shared ownership, multidirectional learning, and culturally responsive solution development.

We conducted 11 DSH sessions with historically underserved communities over two years. Mixed-methods data were collected through post-session surveys, open-ended responses, and qualitative debriefs. Quantitative metrics assessed collaboration, facilitator performance, participant willingness to support others, cohesion, and trust. Qualitative analyses explored participant experiences, perceived value, and the role of iterative engagement in fostering co-creation.

Later DSH sessions demonstrated improvements in collaboration, group cohesion, and trust compared to earlier studios. Participants described DSH as a safe, empowering space that promoted deep listening, mutual support, and shared ownership. Iterative engagement allowed community members to refine ideas, elevate cultural insight, and contribute meaningfully to intervention development. A single-session studio on Women's Brain Health illustrated the model's adaptability across varied health topics.

DSH functions as a scalable co-design framework that strengthens academic-community partnerships, builds trust, and supports community-led innovation. By centering lived experience and embedding iterative feedback loops, the model offers a practical, equity-oriented approach for co-creating culturally relevant health solutions with underserved populations.